Everlasting
by Hobbits Angel
Summary: Kalina loves Frodo Baggins. He left for the Havens, unaware and she's convinced he won't return. But her family loathe the Baggins...Can their love survive if he returns? It'll get better, promise!
1. Default Chapter

bFlashbackb  
  
Disclaimer: all characters and places that you recognise from Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit, do not belong to me, they belong to J.R.R Tolkien. Any characters or places you don't recognise belong to ME! (  
  
A/n. ARGH! I HATE MY COMPUTER! Had this chapter AND chapter 3, written and saved on disk and then I couldn't freaking open the darn things, so I was forced to delete them! Which means I'm FURIOUS, especially as I spent AGES on the first and third (say like four hours for pages!) And, also, if fanfiction.net had let me upload these chapters, I WOULD HAVE THEM ON MY ACCOUNT, not deleted forever! Anyway.  
  
~Kalina's parents would kill her if they knew where she was. And the reason she  
  
had come here. But she had to know.  
  
He didn't have any idea how she felt for him. Nor did she have any intention of  
  
telling him that, and it seemed now she wouldn't have the chance. She knew all  
  
along, but she had never wanted to admit it. Frodo was leaving to the Gray Havens,  
  
leaving the Shire.  
  
She'd been following Frodo and Sam. She had no clear intention why, except she  
  
must know if he had truly left and maybe she wanted to see him go. She wanted to  
  
see him for the last time.Seemingly no one ever returned from leaving destined to  
  
the Havens.  
  
She had guessed he'd be leaving. She had an intelligent mind that was quick to  
  
jump the correct conclusions. She'd listened to the tale of the Quest, the unmaking  
  
of the One Ring so often she felt like she'd been there. She'd listened to it from,  
  
Merry, Pippin, Sam but most of all Frodo's point of view. She'd often looked at his  
  
face fair to see what emotions he was showing and the way he spoke when he was  
  
recalling it. And very often, when he'd been speaking of darker parts of it, she'd  
  
noticed him fingering this chain he had round his neck with a small, shining star  
  
  
  
attached. She'd listened to Legolas and Gimli, when they had once come to the  
  
Shire, as they'd been through the Paths of the Dead, and not one other on the  
  
Quest, except Aragorn had.  
  
She rounded a corner, and suddenly backed her pony behind a glade of trees, as  
  
she had seen a large group ahead of her. Loosely tying Shadow-the pony to a tree,  
  
she crept nearer and saw the group was mainly of Elves. She could pick out  
  
Galadriel, Celeborn and Elrond instantly, and yet her breath was caught. She'd  
  
never seen Elves before, except Legolas, and they were beautiful! The lilt and  
  
sweetness of their language, the way they moved lightly around and then she  
  
realised that they were leaving. Not many of these would remain on Middle Earth.  
  
She caught sight of Gandalf, and Kalina's spirit saddened. No more fireworks.she  
  
sighed sadly.  
  
And then she caught sight of Frodo. He was talking to Sam, who looked deeply  
  
upset, and then she knew, she'd known all along he'd leave -she just hadn't  
  
wanted to believe it. When Merry and Pippin suddenly appeared, she was still  
  
finding it hard to accept.  
  
And then she saw the ship.and in a daze she watched the group board the ship,  
  
including Frodo. She saw him wave at Sam, Pippin and Merry.  
  
She watched as the ship left, until it was nothing but a black shape on the horizon.  
  
And as the three Hobbits mounted their ponies and set back to the Shire, she  
  
dashed out to where the group had been standing before, a few tears spilling from  
  
her eyes. ~  
  
Yawning, Kalina opened her eyes and sat up in her bed and remembered she'd  
  
been dreaming of when she'd seen Frodo leave Middle Earth. And then her heart  
  
quickened. He'd waved at Sam, Merry and Pippin. and he'd, Frodo -he'd  
  
smiled.at the bushes she'd been hiding behind.he'd seen her? You couldn't smile  
  
at bushes.it was insane.  
  
But he wasn't coming back. He wasn't.  
  
A/n. It'll get better I promise! I mean, bloody hell, this chapter was boring but REVIEW please! ( 


	2. A Day at the Market

Market  
  
"KALINA!" a tween hobbit shrieked at the top of her voice.  
  
Almost immediately Kalina rushed over to her, her brown hair flying behind her and as she drew close to the hobbit, she tripped and fell over, landing at the hobbits' feet, who burst out laughing.  
  
"What Rosa?" Kalina asked her best friend, giggling as she stood up and brushed the mud off her dress. A crowd of hobbits suddenly surged past them, almost making Kalina fall over again. This was midday in Hobbiton and there was a market going on, an event that only happened about once a month.  
  
"Look," Rosa gestured the stall she was standing beside, still laughing. "You see this," she picked it up, "this, my dear Kalina, belonged to Mr. Frodo Baggins."  
  
"What is it?" Kalina asked, taking it from Rosa. It was a small circle of glass with a flat bottom, obviously a paperweight, but inside the glass, instead of being a fixed pattern it was a set of changing places, and small flowers kept appearing, and small shapes of bees humming by the flowers.  
  
"A paperweight, you idiot of a Barrows!" she scorned. "But it's an unusual one. I'd say he probably got it from Bilbo who got it from the treasure. Or maybe the Elves crafted it in Rivendell and gave it to Frodo."  
  
Kalina examined it and then her heart quickened. Hastily, she paid for it, and placed it carefully in her bag.  
  
"That's me out of money now!" she grinned, and Rosa rolled her eyes.  
  
"Well I'm not and you're staying with me until I'm out as well!" Rosa ordered. "And then I've been forced to go and buy all the food for the week just because I'm the only daughter in the house! You know, Merry was going to see Pip today and that's passed the shop but nooo, I've got to carry it all back." she sighed. "And he had a pony!"  
  
"I'll help you with that!" Kalina laughed, knowing it was what Rosa had wanted her to say. "But if you're gonna get the food, you better finish here quick cause everyone is wanting to go to the shop and your family ain't gonna be pleased if you don't get any food!"  
  
"I've finished here already!" Rosa said impatiently. "While you were searching for anything pretty or belonging to HIM, I had got all I needed! So ha! Race ya there!"  
  
Rosa instantly dashed off, dodging the shoppers and stalls with Kalina close behind her. It wasn't long to the store but it took a while to get through the constant groups of people and stores. As they finally neared the end of the market, they rushed down a steep hill and Kalina lifted her arms and felt like she was flying.she could feel the air brushing her face, her hair flying behind her.and suddenly she hit the ground, rolling over in a somersault, she managed to get to her feet again and dash after Rosa, who was at a disadvantage as she was shaking with laughter again.  
  
"You idiot!" she gasped. "That's three times you've fell today because of your constant dreaming!"  
  
"And that's three times you've made a fool of yourself Rosa Brandybuck! Didn't you see Tom? He was watching you and everytime he seemed to take a step towards you, you'd dash off cos you were almost crying with laughter!"  
  
"He WAS?!" Rosa gasped. "Oh wow!"  
  
"He was talking to Merry," Kalina continued, as they entered the store and Rosa hastily grabbed all the food they needed. "He was continually looking at you! My mum says he's a perfect gentlehobbit!"  
  
"Oh, he's not perfect. I can remember once, he once ran down a hill, tripped up and landed headfirst in cow manure! That'll be you one day if you're not careful!" Rosa snorted. "Well that's what he thought it was.it was actually mud but no one told him that."  
  
Kalina laughed. "You'll get to speak to him tonight at the party!"  
  
"But what will you do?" Rosa asked.  
  
"I'll talk to all my other friends! You're not the only one you know!" Kalina teased.  
  
"Kalina, you know exactly what I meant," Rosa sighed. "You've got lots of lovely gentlehobbits after you and you take no notice of them at all. You'll just chat animably to them and that's it!"  
  
"The only hobbit I'll ever love like that was Frodo Baggins," Kalina sighed. "I don't want any other."  
  
"KALINA! Frodo's gone! He went to the Havens and no one comes back from there," Rosa said tactlessly. "PLUS there's that whole hatred thing between your family & relatives and the Bagginses!"  
  
"I know that," Kalina said quietly.  
  
"AND you never told him what you felt for him," Rosa continued.  
  
"I know I never! Shut up about him Rosa, or I'll go and set your family on you!" Kalina threatened jokingly, hiding her true feelings, rapidly blinking tears back.  
  
"You dare!" Rosa cried. "If they found out it was me, who broke the chair, I'm doomed."  
  
"Which chair was it?"  
  
"Erm.the one dad always sits in.he'll find out tonight!" Rosa said. "BUT, luckily, I'm gonna be at yours!" she grinned, scanning the list. "That's it! We're done!" She paid, and she and Kalina lugged the bags back to the Brandybucks' hobbit hole.  
  
A/n. I swear it'll get more interesting.Reviews would be welcome! Hehe, just remembered why I wrote about a broken chair.I leapt on this crappy sofa screaming "FRODO!" @ the top of my voice cos I was watching LOTR.(duh) and the thingy collapsed.ops.it wasn't me! Dad was fixing something else on that chair yesterday (very crappy) and he found out.it wasn't me.remember, IT WAS NOT ME! That was.erm, Frodo jumping through the screen to me.;o) -yeah I'm obsessed. 


	3. Never Trust A Baggins

Never trust a Baggins.  
  
"KALI!" her younger brother, Tomo, shrieked, jumping round her room. "MUM SAYS YOU'RE TO GET UP NOW! AND SHE SAYS YOU'RE TO MAKE YOUR OWN BREAKFAST CAUSE WE'RE HAVING ELEVENSES NOW!"  
  
"Okay Tomo," Kalina yawned, sitting up. "And stop shouting! I can hear you well enough! And, DON'T YOU DARE!" she thundered, as Tomo picked up the paperweight and seemed to be considering whether or not to throw it across the room.  
  
Muttering under his breath, Tomo replaced the paperweight and left the room.  
  
Quickly Kalina got dressed into her everyday clothes and sat down in front of the oak mirror she had in her room, running a brush down her hair.  
  
Last night, the party had been brilliant. Almost as brilliant as one of Bilbo or Frodo's. Rosa had been talking and dancing with Tom, Kalina had amazingly kept her balance and hadn't tripped, she'd been talking to her friends and to some of her admirers. She'd barely missed a dance, she had so many.  
  
Sighing, she placed the brush down and gazed listlessly at her reflection. She knew she was pretty. She'd often been called 'the fair maiden' or 'beautiful maiden' and now, the hobbits had realised her Elven name. Kalina, translated as light and had started calling her Tinùviel. Tinùviel had been an elf, the prettiest elf to walk on Middle Earth and she had sacrificed the immortal life of her race for a lifetime with the man she loved. Arwen Evenstar had also been called Tinùviel and she'd chosen Aragorn over immortality. Tinùviel had also been what the Elves had called Nightingales and could also be translated as 'the twilight maiden.'  
  
She knew as well as her being beautiful, she had a beautiful voice. Often she'd sung for events like the party. And how the hobbits had cheered at the end! Her stunningly green eyes gazed back at her, her long lashes blinked, her skin was peachy and soft, she had a clear complexion, rosy cheeks and soft lips that seemed to be always smiling. Most unusual about her was her hair. The entire hobbit population had curly hair, yet hers wasn't. Her long, shining brown hair wasn't curly, it was wavy. Somehow, there had to be a little of Elvish blood in her. She had no idea who from, but it was undeniable there was some Elvish in her. But for Frodo, she'd often overhear him say, it didn't matter to him what the hobbit lasses looked like, it was what they *were*. (A/n, oh PLEASE let Elijah be one of those guys! I'm not pretty! At all! Lol!)  
  
Sighing, she picked up a silver chain with a small rose quartz heart attached to it and clasped it around her neck. Her glance fell upon the paperweight. She picked it up and she saw it wasn't only flowers and bees she saw. It changed, to different parts of a beautiful forest, filled with pretty flowers and tall trees.It was beautiful, she ached to walk in it, yet knew it was impossible to walk in such a place. For she knew it had been Lothlorien, and Lothlorien had faded as the Ring had been destroyed, for it had been the power of the Rings that held Lothlorien. It was probably but a wasteland now, maybe the Orcs that had fled from the Battle when Mordor had collapsed wandered there. She shuddered. She knew Frodo had been enchanted with Lothlorien. Everytime he spoke of it, his eyes lit up with desire to see it again as he had first seen it and his voice sounded enchanted.  
  
"KALI!" Tomo shrieked at the end of the corridor. "MUM SAYS YOU'RE TO GET DOWN HERE NOW!"  
  
"I'm coming!" she called, taking one last look in the paperweight before shutting the door and joining in her mother, who was sitting in the living room.  
  
"Morning mother," Kalina greeted, feeling slightly anxious, suspecting her mother wanted to talk about something, and that didn't happen to be, 'get your own breakfast.'  
  
"Morning Kalina," Nora, her mother, answered. "Sit down."  
  
Kalina sat obediently. "Daughter, you have many admirers," Nora started. She was always one to get straight to the point and was often blunt. "But you don't seem to be taking an interest in any of them." her voice faded, her brown eyes looking intensely at Kalina, waiting for her to answer.  
  
"I-I-I'm just not ready for that kind of thing mother," she lied instantly. The truth was, as long as she lived, she loved Frodo and she loved no other! And her family, well, her family loathed the Bagginses. All of them, except her. Their hatred ran deep in the Burrowses, but all the Bagginses that still lived In the Shire, seemed the opposite and they were reasonably friendly to them, to receive such a look of loathing or voice full of it.  
  
Kalina inwardly sighed. She could still remember the time her mother had told her.  
  
* * * * * "MOTHER!" Kalina wailed uncontrollably. "I WANNA GO!"  
  
"You can't," her mother said sharply. "I refuse to leave you alone with THEM. Not until you're older enough to look after yourself."  
  
"I WANNA-" Kalina wouldn't stop crying.  
  
"KALINA!" her mother lost her patience. "The Bagginses, they're not to be trusted by any hobbit with the name Burrows."  
  
"Like us?"  
  
"Like us."  
  
"Why mother?" Kalina asked, curiously, stopping her screaming because of her curiosity.  
  
"Why?" her mother snorted. "They're cold blooded murderers!"  
  
"W-?" Kalina got cut off by Nora who continued.  
  
"They killed an ancestor of ours Kalina, they KILLED someone needlessly," she explained, a hatred in her voice that Kalina had never heard before, and she shuddered.  
  
"But Mr. Bilbo wouldn't do anything like that! Nor would Mr. Frodo!" Kalina replied instantly, still shuddering slightly.  
  
"No Burrows can trust a Baggins, including you Kalina," Nora said, the loathing still showing clearly in her voice. "Needless to say, Bilbo AND Frodo are related to the Baggins that killed a Burrows."  
  
"I don't believe you!" Kalina sang out clearly, though she was still shuddering at the hatred in Nora's voice. "I don't believe you! I don't believe you! I d-"  
  
"You don't do you missy?" Nora grabbed Kalina by her ear, who instantly stopped her singing and winced, following her mother into the sitting room. She sat down, while Nora pulled an old diary out, and sat down beside Kalina, opening it carefully and smoothing the pages out. Kalina knew what it was. It was the diary of their ancestors. Every family in the Shire kept one. Triumphantly Nora passed the diary to Kalina, who looked at her hesitatingly before turning her gaze to the entry.  
  
Today has been the worst day of my life. My husband is dead. Ben Baggins murdered him. My family has all been writing about the famine year, this year- 2798, and how every family is starving and no crop has been wielded. By some stroke of luck, Fred (A/n -her husband) found a few strawberries and carrots was carrying them home to us when Ben, jumped out of no one and stared at him for a minute before attacking him with a knife and Fred died instantly. We weren't there, yet that's what happened. The Bagginses have come around to say their condolences and to apologise, saying Ben had gone delirious with hunger and shouldn't have been left alone, but he slipped their guard and killed Fred. His funeral was yesterday. From this day forward, no hobbit by the name of Burrows can trust a Baggins. We all know it's a lie, Ben was a murderer, not delirious, a murderer. And he had seemed such a gentle hobbit but now he's showed his true form. Or did. He died this morning. All we Burrowses loathe the Bagginses. Never ever trust a Baggins.ever.  
  
"See?" Nora said. "We only write the truth."  
  
"It said he's delirious," Kalina protested. "That means he can see other things that aren't there! Maybe he thought Fred was a, a, big cow or something!"  
  
"No Kalina, that was a cover up lie. Ben killed himself because he realised what he'd done. He'd just murdered Fred Burrows, the best mayor the Shire has ever seen! The Bagginses were jealous of the Burrowses and their jealously did this to them! Cold-blooded murderers Kalina, that's what all Bagginses are." * * * *  
  
"KALINA!" Her mother yelling in her ear jerked Kalina out her thoughts. "Yes mother?"  
  
"What were you daydreaming of daughter? I was yelling at you for five minutes before you came to your senses!"  
  
"I was remembering the time when you were telling me of the hatred between us and the Bagginses." Kalina admitted reluctantly. There was silence for a moment.  
  
"If yo- I mean we loathe the Bagginses so much, why did we attend Bilbo and Frodo's parties?" Kalina asked suddenly, cursing inwardly for her slip up.  
  
"Because we're respectable hobbits Kalina. And respectable hobbits attend things like that as we're above them," Nora said haughtily. "Even the Sackville-Bagginses attended and everyone knows how much they hate the Bagginses.but not as much as us."  
  
Kalina sighed and turned her gaze to out the window.  
  
"And as I was saying, your admirers all seem to be from good respectable families, especially that young Hugo Gardener, a right gentlehobbit if I ever saw one."  
  
"Mother, I'm not ready," Kalina protested, knowing how persistent her mother could be.  
  
"You're not, but they are daughter," Nora pointed out. "And if you're not ready soon, they're going to find another hobbit lass to marry."  
  
Kalina felt like screaming 'SO WHAT?!' at the top of her voice, but she didn't. "I'll tell you when I'm ready mother." she sighed.  
  
"And it had better be soon. Good decent gentle hobbits are hard to find these days," her voice faded off.  
  
"I know mother," Kalina stood up, and telling her mother she'd be back for supper, she went outside into the sunny grassy fields and sleepy woods and rivers of Hobbiton.  
  
One thought haunted her throughout the day; he'd waved at her.she knew he had. Frodo had waved at her. Suddenly her mind was flooded with memories of him, those dark curls, beautiful blue eyes, that gorgeous voice. 


	4. Dream

Dream.  
  
~"FREEEAAAAAKKKK!" they shrieked, pointing and laughing at Kalina. "You've got straight hair! FRREAAAAKKKKK!"  
  
"I'M NOT A FREAK!" Kalina screamed. "I'M A HOBBIT!"  
  
"An abnormal one!" they jeered.  
  
"Am not!" Kalina glared at the group of laughing hobbits.  
  
"Are to!"  
  
"Are NOT!"  
  
"To!"  
  
"NOT!"  
  
"You're a freak Kalina, a freak, a freak, a FREAK!" they chanted. "Frodo'll never love you! NEVER, you hear that? NEVER! He'll never love you! Frodo won't love you, Frodo won't love you! He's in the Havens! He's not coming back and if he ever did -he'd never love you! You're a FREAK! He'll never love you!"  
  
"He-he will!" she protested.  
  
"FREAK! HE'LL NEVER! No Burrows can trust a Baggins! It's fatal to fall in love with one!"  
  
"He will and I can."  
  
"Can't! FREAK!"~  
  
Kalina jerked herself out of sleep and the dream, hot all over, and sighing she kicked the covers off her, feeling close to tears. The whole thing was pointless.  
  
The dream was right. He'd never. He'd never love her, he'd never come back, she should just forget about him. Instantly her mind cried out "NO!" but her sense was right.forget him. She could never do that. But she was a good actress; after all she'd been acting all her life of the hatred between her and the Bagginses. But that had been easy, she'd just glared at them and cried out insults, or speak in a voice full of hatred. She'd only done that round her relatives and family, when she was with friends or alone with the Bagginses, she was herself, she didn't loathe them at all. It's just, this time she was turning against her heart.  
  
She almost screamed out in frustration as she realised that the true feelings in her heart were too much to ignore or act off. She-she, loved Frodo.she couldn't ignore that. And yet she couldn't keep her mother or admirers waiting any longer, or her mother would force her too. She'd act like she was ready, she'd act that she liked them.and maybe, maybe Frodo would return and she could stop acting and follow her heart.  
  
* * *  
  
"FREAAAAAKKK!" They shrieked again. "SLUT!"  
  
"I'M NOT!"  
  
"ARE! You're just pretending! It's unfair to pretend! It's slutty to pretend! Heart breaker!" they screamed, half of them rolling on the ground laughing.  
  
Kalina didn't answer. It was true.She couldn't do this.she couldn't. It was too much.she'd just take a little more interest in them. Maybe that would shut her mother up. And maybe that wouldn't lead them on or break their heart, she was just getting to know them better.maybe they'd turn into her friends. And then Frodo would return. He would.  
  
"FRODO'S IN THE HAVENS! HE WON'T COME BACK!" the group yelled again, still laughing.  
  
A/n. Weird chapter.Hell knows where I got that from.review please. Might be a bit for the next chapter though! I've got to finish Blizzard, that'll be like three more chapters, and then Life or Death - about two more chapters and hey, might even start writing Light Turns to Dark again.nah I won't.I'll just start a Legolas story.hehe, yep I'll start that very soon! 


	5. A memory

A Memory.  
  
A/n -ok, I am now paranoid of Kalina being a Mary-Sue (a perfect person) so I had to write this.  
  
* * * Kalina nervously approached the group of hobbits who took no notice of her.  
  
"Hi," she stuttered, still nervous. "I-I-I'm Kalina and I-"  
  
"Kalina eh?" one of the oldest hobbits in the group asked, quite evilly. She nodded, apprehensively.  
  
"K-a-l-I-n-a?" she spelled it out.  
  
She nodded again.  
  
"Tell me then, does Kalina's hair naturally look as awful as that or is it just because it's sitting on her head?" she sneered, with an evil bout of laughter at the end.  
  
"Leave her alone," another older hobbit said, glaring at the first one.  
  
"And is Kalina naturally a freak or just an abnormal hobbit?" the first one continued, ignoring the other hobbit.  
  
"I-I-I'm not a f-freak," Kalina stammered, feeling hurt.  
  
"So you're an abnormal hobbit then?" the group of hobbits started laughing.  
  
"No, I-I-I'm not."  
  
"You've got straight hair! You talk like an idiot! You're abnormal!" the whole group chanted.  
  
"I'M NOT ABNORMAL!" Kalina suddenly shrieked, shaking.  
  
"Oh you are!"  
  
"I AM NOT YOU-YOU BIG BULLYING GIT!" Kalina screamed. The whole group stopped laughing.  
  
"Excuse me, Kalina, but did you just call me a big bullying git?" the first hobbit glared at her.  
  
"I did and I only spoke the truth!" Kalina protested, feeling uncertain now.she had a hot temper but she was usually able to control it. The whole group glared at her.  
  
"Rosie isn't a git, she's the finest hobbit that ever lived!" another one spoke.  
  
"Haha!" Kalina laughed. "Rosie is the finest hobbit that ever lived -IN HER DREAMS!"  
  
The whole group of about twenty hobbits were glaring at her, if looks could kill, Kalina undoubtedly wouldn't have lived.  
  
"So you don't believe Rosie is then?"  
  
"No way on Middle Earth!"  
  
A hobbit advanced on her. Feeling frightened, Kalina took a step backwards and as his fist flung from his side, aimed for her face, she ducked, missed the blow and swiftly kicked him on his foot sharply in cause of self defence, turned and sprinted off to the trees, hearing the hobbit's yelps of pain and the murmurs of the angry group.  
  
As she reached the trees, she glanced behind her and saw they weren't following and sighed in relief. She jumped though when another smaller groups of hobbits, more her age, appeared, and ran over to her.  
  
"Oh my! We all saw that! That was just brilliant! I mean, them being older hobbits and all! And you being younger and new here -absolutely fantastic and welcome to this group! I'm Rosa Brandybuck by the way and this is-" she waved her hand over the fourteen hobbits crowded round her, all saying 'congratulations' to Kalina with big grins on their faces.  
  
"AND! We've just had the mastermind of this Age in Middle Earth and we've just set it up!" Rosa had a huge grin on her face. Shaking her red hair impatiently, her brown eyes lit up with mischief she continued. "Those haughty gits of hobbits are gonna get a very bad surprise! Come on, follow us! We're kinda at war with them cos they treat us like we're babies so we're just proving we're not!" she explained to Kalina, as they ran down the slope. "We've been planning to do this for ages! It just took ages to find out a spot where they'd actually walk over!"  
  
Taking hiding places in the woods, Rosa hastily kept whispering to Kalina until the group of hobbits Kalina had insulted walked down the hill, laughing and talking nastily about 'the abnormal freak of a hobbit.' When they neared the end of the hill, so busy talking to each other, not looking at the ground, they didn't see the two hobbits-one at either side of the hill, behind a tree, each pulled this small strong rope up from the ground. The group of hobbits, not seeing this all tripped over it. Every single one, including Rosie tripped and fell face down into a hastily spread line of mud.  
  
Rosa's group of hobbits instantly ran out their hiding places, pointing and laughing merrily at the mud-covered hobbits who were yelling threats.  
  
"OH MY!" Kalina screamed suddenly. "That's not mud! No way is that mud! It's cow manure!"  
  
Of course she was lying, but Rosie had wounded her and she wanted revenge to be a little sweeter than this.  
  
The 'mastermind' group started laughing harder and some of them chanting "cow manure! You're in cow manure!"  
  
The mud-covered hobbits looked horrified, especially as the land was near a group of cows, and instantly got up and ran home to get cleaned up, forgetting the younger hobbits had set it all up.  
  
When Rosa had recovered from her hysterical laughing -their faces had looked so funny! She high-fived Kalina and proudly introduced her new second in command and best friend, Kalina! Kalina had never laughed so much in her life!  
  
A/n. hehe. Maybe Kalina doesn't need to kill me after all. ( Of course, Kalina was a lot younger and her first meeting with Rosa! Pretty please review and thanks for all who have! Yep, I live in Scotland, have done since I was 2! I was born in England. ( 


	6. Starry Night

Starry Night.  
  
Disclaimer: All characters and sets you recognise from any book by J.R.R.Tolkien belong to.ME! Haha. As if. They belong to the genius himself- Tolkien. But anyone you don't recognise is mine! And that's like Kalina and Rosa. And that's all the damn disclaimers I'm writing for this story.  
  
A/n. Omg, CrystalHorse72! ~hugs her~ That's so sad! I've added you on AIM list by the way, hope you don't mind!  
  
"What are you saying?" Rosa looked at her friend, a sort of amazement on her face. Kalina sighed. "What I'm saying is a quote thing. You know, a QUOTE?!" Rosa giggled slightly; Kalina's tone of voice had sounded so funny then. "Yes I do know what a quote is oh best friend of mine," she replied. "Just I really don't believe what you're relating it to."  
  
"What at first may appear a end, is often a new beginning," Kalina quoted.  
  
(A/n, hell knows who said that. ARGH! Ok, recently the council built a new high school cos the old one was CRAP! And they've brightened it up with artificial plants and all these pictures with quotes under them. That happens to be one of them! Or something similar.)  
  
Rosa looked at her friend. Kalina was sitting on the hill, her knees drawn up to her body, her head resting on her knees, looking directly around of her. The moon and star covered sky was reflected in her eyes, the moonlight shining on her hair. Her face showed no expression yet you could see in her eyes she was clearly struggling.  
  
"And you're relating that to?" Rosa asked.  
  
"Frodo," Kalina sighed. "Look, he went off to the Havens. That was an end. And the quote would say it's a new beginning. So maybe I should forgot Frodo and start new and actually I might be able to take some interest in my admirers before my mother does kill me."  
  
Rosa instantly put her arm around her friend as Kalina suddenly choked out "who am I trying to kid?" and tears glistened in her eyes. "This whole thing is hopeless! And here I am, an entire YEAR later and I still love him and-" the tears rolled down her cheeks. "He doesn't even know." She ended sadly. "And for the sake of my mother I've tried to make friends with those admirers I'm unluckily to have! They took that a step too far! Because I'm suddenly talking to them and trying to become their friend, half of them are boasting they've pulled me and then a quarter of them are being complete stuck up snobs! And then there's the eighth that actually tried to kiss me!" she shuddered. "And then there's the three of them that are being lovely genuine people and who I now know are my friends! And he's not coming back!"  
  
Rosa hugged her friend tighter to her. "Kali, you're being all stupid again you twat! Sure three-quarters of those hobbit lads are being idiots, but that doesn't mean you've got to suffer because of them! There's no evidence in their claims that they've got you, and Kalina, there's no evidence Frodo isn't going to return. Just give me a bit more time.You know what he's been through, that's going to take some time to heal."  
  
"I guess you're right," Kalina sniffed, the tears still trickling down her cheeks.  
  
"And besides, I can quote too!" Rosa added. "When the cock doesn't crow, make it!"  
  
"What?!" Kalina stared at Rosa, who was grinning, the moonlight making her freckles stand out on her cheeks, her vivid red hair shining healthily.  
  
"Hello? Can't you recognise the words of a genius?" Rosa said seriously. "That was made up be yours sincerely.I don't know what it means though."  
  
The tears in Kalina's eyes stopped and she burst out laughing. "Oh Rosa! That's so-" she struggled to find words. "Brandybuck!"  
  
"Burrows!" Rosa retorted, giggling, as the retort had been an old joke, started up by Kalina in a similar situation except they'd only just become friends. "So what would you do if Frodo suddenly returned right now then?"  
  
"I'd run to him, and hug him and tell him that I love him and I've always done and that I'm so glad he's come back and that I love him!" Kalina said in one a rush and smiled.  
  
"Now, don't you ever think about not doing that!" Rosa scolded Kalina jokingly. "You just be yourself always and forever!"  
  
"ROOOSAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" a faint echo reached them, that Rosa instantly picked out that it belonged to her mother.  
  
"Eugh, I've got to go now, but be yourself and I'll see ya tomorrow!" Rosa hurriedly stood up and rushed down the hill. "Goodniiiiight!" she called behind her.  
  
Kalina smiled as Rosa disappeared out of view. She was on that hill where they'd first tripped the group over. Well, where she'd ran from them and bashed into Rosa. Sighing, she stood up and walked deeper into the wood, to her favourite place. Her favourite place happened to be in the middle of the wood, where the river that ran though it widened into a medium sized pool with trees surrounding it, some bending their branches over the water, others beside the water. Here was where the grass grew softest and greenest, where the plants were of all colours and beautiful to look upon. The trees provided sufficient shade from the sun yet the sky could easily be seen; meaning Kalina could see the stars. Sighing, she sat down beside one of the trees by the water, and trailed her fingers in the cool water softly. Removing her hand from the calm pool, she leant back against the tree and quietly started singing softly to herself. "When the cold of winter comes, Starless night will cover day, In the veiling of the sun, We will walk in bitter rain,  
  
But in dreams, I can still here your name, But in dreams, We shall meet again,  
  
When the seas and mountains fall, And we come, to the end of days, In the dark I hear a call, Calling me there, I will go there, And back again."  
  
(A/n. Yeah, unluckily I do not have enough originality to make a song up so this is taken from the Lord of the Rings soundtrack -in Dreams, so I guess it belongs to Howard Shore & Peter Jackson.just it doesn't belong to me! Though if I get originality it will change to my own creation.)  
  
And as Kalina sang various songs to herself in her favourite place in the wood, a hobbit took his first step into The Shire, his eyes looking keenly around the country he had so loved, a small smile upon his face.  
  
A/n. ugh. Can't believe me. Never loved a story this much to write a chapter a day practically.I mean hell, Blizzard is gonna have to wait LOL! Anyway, please review, cos I love reviews! ( And thank you to everyone who's reviewed so far! And if you want me to R&R a story, just say and I'll try my best! 


	7. Grey Ship

Still Waters.  
  
A/n. Wow! I can't believe you all seem to love this so much! So thanks for all your reviews!  
  
Where was she? Kalina blinked and let her eyes focus. It was so dark. And everything was so silent, there were no birds singing or animals moving.and yes it was night, but there were owls and badgers and.  
  
She gave a little gasp as she suddenly recognised her surroundings. She, she was back where she was when she had followed Frodo and Sam to the ship that would take Frodo and all the elves and Bilbo and Gandalf to the Undying Lands. She was back behind the bush Frodo had smiled at.  
  
Yet why was she here? He was away recovering from the wounds the Quest had left him with.  
  
She stepped out from behind the bush and into the open clearing, her eyes searching the horizon for any shapes. The gentle breeze ruffling her hair, she could taste the salt on her lips.  
  
After about three minutes constantly searching the horizon, she sighed and was about to turn around and go back, when her eyes saw something. It was barely a shape she could make out, but it was still a black dot and as this was the sea that black dot had to be a ship. And as she was here this had to be the ship that took people to the Undying Lands.her heart leapt.and back.  
  
Was that why she was here? To see this ship come in and unload and then load again with more elves? Surely Frodo wasn't coming back.yet.he was.She just knew it. Somewhere something inside her knew he was. He was coming back.  
  
* * * * "KALINA!" someone yelled, shaking her.  
  
"W-what?" she yawned.  
  
"Get back to the house quick!" Tomo hissed urgently. "Look, if you get back soon Mum won't know you never came back to the house and she won't go angry."  
  
"WHAT?" Kalina sat up instantly, all her tiredness disappearing. "I didn't come back? I slept here?"  
  
"Yes," Tomo answered. "So get back now! Mum's getting up in ten minutes! And you know what she's like if one of us is late back or if someone stayed out late and fell asleep here. I've taken ages finding you!"  
  
"Thanks Tomo," Kalina leapt to her feet and stretched quickly before running as fast as she could back to her hole. She was a fast runner so she knew she'd make it, the thing she was concerned about was how the heck she was going to cook or make her mum something for breakfast in two minutes, as today was the day it was her turn to cook her mum breakfast in bed.  
  
As soon as she shot through the door, her older sister Hilary instantly pushed a tray into Kalina's hands.  
  
"There," she smiled. "I'm not in your debt anymore-" catching Kalina's confused look she added "when you covered up for me when I was at that party.Go on! Mum's been waiting a minute already and she's in a really ratty mood this morning."  
  
"Thanks Hil!" Kalina smiled, and started waking up to her mother's room; her father would be out in the fields doing farming work.  
  
"Here you go mother," she said happily, placing the tray beside her mother's bed and walking to the other side of the room and drawing the curtains open letting the sun shine through. "Lovely morning today."  
  
"It had better be," Nora sat up. "Your father's trying to work on something and if it's rains today, it fails. Now Kalina."  
  
"Yes mother?"  
  
"Hugo Gardener seems a lovely nice lad."  
  
"I'm sure he is," Kalina said stubbornly, wishing her mother would stop making obvious hints like these.  
  
"Not at all like those Bagginses," a hint of disapproval came into Nora's voice.  
  
"Yes mother," Kalina sighed. "Hugo is lovely," she crossed her fingers behind her back, meaning she didn't mean it.  
  
"You still haven't found a suitor you liked enough to bring home?"  
  
"No."  
  
"You'll tell me when you have won't you?" Nora looked keenly at her daughter.  
  
"I will mother, promise," she answered. "May I go now mother? I promised I'd meet Rosa in three minutes."  
  
"Course you can," Nora replied. "As long as you're back in time for dinner."  
  
"I will be mother," Kalina disappeared out the door.  
  
A/n. god. Hate writers block so fucking much. Don't worry, it's not serious! I love this story and I AM going to write. Dammit. Sorry for the deadly boring chapter, I've got the next one pretty much figured on what I'm gonna write so it's gonna be more interesting. Hopefully! Review please! 


	8. Hugo

Hugo.  
  
A/n. Woo. Writer's block has disappeared on this! YAY! (  
  
Kalina sat on the bank of the river, watching the water flow by and noting how the sun reflected of it. Sighing, she smiled slightly, letting her fingers trail through the water. She loved getting up really early; Hobbiton was always really quiet and peaceful. With Nora not bothering her about suitors and Rosa babbling happily on about nothing, or Tomo shrieking in her ear. Or her admirers stalking her, she really shouldn't have followed Frodo.  
  
Hobbiton looked beautiful in the autumn. The wood ahead of her, the one that the river ran out of and her favourite place was contained in it, it's trees' leaves were all colours, some still faintly green, others golden yellow, chestnut red, deep brown. she couldn't ever remember it being this beautiful in her lifetime though. The sky was covered in swirls of pink, purple, deep grey, white, pale grey and orange clouds. The river was reflecting the colours of the clouds, that were being to fade now with the sun appearing, was bubbling away happily and the grass and plants were green and healthy.  
  
Suddenly a twig snapped loudly, causing Kalina to look around her in alarm, and seeing nothing, she relaxed slightly, thinking it had just been a deer. This explanation proved wrong, as she almost screamed when someone grabbed her shoulder.  
  
"What did you did that for?" Kalina gasped, realising it was only Hugo, who'd released her now.  
  
"Good morning to you to!" Hugo said cheerfully, sitting down close to her. Too close for her comfort. "I just wanted to scare you." There was this gleam in his eyes, one Kalina couldn't figure what it meant, but she still didn't relax.  
  
"That's a weird reason," she replied.  
  
"I know," he winked roguishly. "Bet you don't get scared often love!"  
  
"My name is Kalina," she answered tightly. "Call me Kalina and no other name."  
  
"Alright Kalina," he emphasised her name. "You still haven't greeted me yet."  
  
"Good morning Hugo," Kalina said forcefully, yet politely, she had manners. "I hope you are in good health."  
  
"I'm afraid I'm not," he sighed. "You see, I-I feel weird, my heart's fluttering and I think I'm suffering from high blood pressure." He moved closer to her.  
  
"I hope you return to good health soon then," Kalina returned good mannerly, but this still didn't calm her heart from beating so fast, and a fear screaming loudly inside her head, and it was only as she was frozen that prevented her from running as far away as Hugo as possible. She felt threatened, not safe at all.  
  
"I can't Kalina," he emphasised her name again, his dark almost-black eyes looking into hers. She stared at the ground. "You're the cause and you're right beside me."  
  
He was now so close; she could feel his breath on her neck.  
  
"I've got to go now," she stood up abruptly. "I promised my mother I'd be back by now."  
  
"Come on then," Hugo stood as well, and reached for her hand and grasped it. Kalina looked at him, and tried to free her hand but his grip was too tight.  
  
"Let go of my hand," she ordered, her voice sounding confident, but she was shaking like a leaf.  
  
"Why?" Hugo turned to her. "I love you and you love me, we're walking out and soon the whole of Hobbiton will know." He grinned, only this was an evil grin.  
  
"We are not walking out and I do not love you!" Kalina cried, panic rising in her, as she still struggled to free her hand from his.  
  
"Are you sure about that?" he asked. "I've got the love, the name and the money, nothing else matters. I'll grow on you Kalina. Believe me, and when the family starts to come you'll be the happiest hobbit that ever lived. Don't lie to me, you know you want me as much as I want you." She could feel his breath on her neck again. "And I'm sorry for startling you Kalina, but I've got a desire I must fulfil." he leaned closer to her, and Kalina ducked her head, struggling more than ever to free herself.  
  
"LET GO OF ME!" She screamed, finally losing her patience as her panic level was really high, and she kneed him where it hurt most (if you happen to be a male.) Hugo groaned in pain, and only loosened his grip slightly, so she kneed him ago much, much harder and this time he collapsed on the ground, still clutching her hand, but very weakly. She freed herself, and instantly started running as fast as she could down the hill, tears leaking out her eyes, leaving Hugo without a thought, except she must get away from him.  
  
"KALINA!" she heard a voice yell, but she kept running, thinking he was following her, but when the owner of the voice grabbed her arm, Kalina fleetingly turned around, and breathed in relief as she realised it wasn't Hugo.  
  
"What's the matter?" Rosa asked, and then seeing the panic in her eyes, put her arm around Kalina, and led her firmly to the Brandybuck's hole. "My family's out," she told Kalina as she neared the door. "Mother, father, Merry and my two younger brothers and sisters are at Pippin's, and July's at Huck's -her boyfriend."  
  
Having reached the door, Rosa turned the handle and opened it, as Kalina caught a glimpse of a dark haired hobbit who was walking with a little discomfort, dashed inside and hid trembling out of sight from the windows.  
  
"Sit," Rosa forced Kalina to sit around the kitchen table, as she expertly shoved a pan onto the oven, poured milk into it and hastily got out two cups and cocoa powder, before sitting herself down, opposite Kalina.  
  
"This is the part you tell me what happened," Rosa said pointedly, her red hair tumbling over her face. "Oh, and we've got baby Fred here, up in the bedroom but he's sleeping like a baby which is appropriate and he won't wake up for a long time yet."  
  
"I got up early this morning and I went up to the river up there," Kalina pointed through the window, as Rosa nodded. "And I heard this twig break, but no one was there and then Hugo grabbed my shoulder and then sat really close to me. H-he said things about not feeling well because he beside me, and then he got even closer to me and when I said I had to go, he grabbed my hand and said that we were walking out and it didn't matter if I didn't love him, and I'd be really happy when the family started coming and-" she was talking really fast, but Rosa could make out perfectly what she was saying, and the expression on her face was pained. "And he wouldn't let go of my hand, and he was going to kiss me, if I hadn't kicked him in his.you know," she blushed slightly, "and that's when you found me."  
  
Rosa had giggled slightly at the part when Kalina hurt Hugo, but had been sitting with a worried expression on her face for the rest of the tale.  
  
"Git," she spat. "Never liked the idiot anyway. Kalina, you're not to go anywhere without anyone for a few weeks, agreed?"  
  
Kalina nodded wordlessly.  
  
"Until he's got his act together," Rosa looked disgusting. "As well as when I sort him out. And I'm going sort him good don't worry." She had this fierce look on her face, the one she had when anyone had done anything to her friends. "And apart from that Kali, you're going to forget the whole thing ever happened. I know it'll be hard-" she added, catching Kalina's expression, "but if you forget it, then you're not going to afraid of him. Plus, by trying to let it slip your mind, you're going to be above him, whenever you need to talk to him, be well mannered and polite."  
  
Kalina nodded in agreement.  
  
"And the forgetting thing starts in a few hours," Rosa got up as she checked the milk, to see it was boiling, and poured it into the two cups that had some cocoa chucked in them, and placed one in front of Kalina. "And if he tried anything like that again, yell for me, or knee him again, that always works." She grinned devilishly. "And why are we talking about this stupid git?"  
  
Kalina shrugged, warming her hands by placing them around the cup.  
  
"You know Tom?" Rosa asked pointlessly.  
  
Kalina looked at her. "Rosa, I know he's your boyfriend you idiot!"  
  
Rosa didn't retort as she usually did, she was looking dreamy. "I know you know. Just though you'd probably like to know that last night we kissed."  
  
"You did?" Kalina gasped, Hugo instantly flying from her mind. Rosa nodded shyly.  
  
"Congratulations!" Kalina cried, moving to the other side of the table and hugging her best friend, who was still blushing and still looking dreamy. Kalina laughed suddenly.  
  
"What?" Rosa looked slightly confused.  
  
"I was just remembering something." Kalina giggled. "Of all our firsts.you know!" Rosa was still looking confused. "When you had your first period!" Kalina cracked up.  
  
"Oh that!" Rosa laughed. "Oh that was so embarrassing!"  
  
"It was your fault! You ran round the whole of Hobbiton yelling it for everyone to hear!" Kalina was still laughing.  
  
"I know! That was so stupid of me! I still can't believe I did that! Everyone was teasing me for YEARS!" She looked embarrassed, before laughing herself. "And when you-you." she faded off as she was laughing too much.  
  
"Oh no!" Kalina remembered. "Not that. not that.I was young!" she started protesting. "I was nervous and I was shy and I didn't want to ask where the toilet was."  
  
"Shut up! Don't say anything else or I'll need to go to the toilet myself from laughing too much!" Rosa choked. "And that time when YOU tricked the Evils (a/n the group of hobbits that insulted Kalina, and also got landed in "cow manure") into the river that-"  
  
"YES!" Rosa was still laughing. "And when you-"  
  
A/n. Typical. Spent ages removing Elijah from my head and trying to think of how to write this and it came out much different than I ever planned! Longest chapter though! I haven't written over four pages for AGES! (think -two years ago! Yeah, exactly!) Omg, I can't wait to write the next few though! Review please! And thanks for reviewing! 


	9. Shadow

Ebony.  
  
A/n. Idiot. Trying to read, write and watch LOTR:FOTR at the same time. Don't try it. It's impossible! I can listen to LOTR, and flick between reading and writing. Hmm.  
  
The sun's light slowly rose from ground level, rising to through her window and finally settling it's light upon her face. Kalina stirred as the rays settled on her face and slowly opened her green eyes, blinking from the sun. Sighing, she pulled the covers off and got dressed into her everyday clothes.  
  
As she glanced quickly in the mirror, she realised just how badly she'd slept. Her skin was pale and there were circles under her half-closed eyes. She'd slept badly, as she had kept dreaming about Hugo and what he'd done. She shuddered violently. She'd tried to forget him, she was still trying, but her mind had other ideas of how to remind her, such as the nightmares and images everytime she closed her eyes. She pushed all thoughts firmly from her mind, and left her room and quickly made and ate some breakfast.  
  
She hadn't told any of her family about * him. * She just knew her mother wouldn't believe her, her five brothers and sisters would, especially Hilary, her father would partially believe her but then Nora would convince him so that he didn't. It was the way Hugo acted so mannerly and perfectly everyday, except for the times like last morning. He'd even fooled her into her act, until he'd revealed his true self. But then again, she'd probably have to tell her parents, if Nora kept persisting about Hugo and Kalina. Why couldn't they just leave her to make up her own mind about suitors? She quickly washed her plates and put them back into the cupboards.  
  
Feeling slightly paranoid about going outside, she went through to the sitting room and saw the book lying on the table. The book being the diary her family kept. You had to be of age to start writing in it, as when you were younger you didn't record things that were important or your writing was too big. In Kalina's family, only her parents, Hilary, herself and Nimbi could write in it. Her younger sister Lily and younger brothers Foci and Andi were too young. Kalina barely ever wrote in it, but she knew her parents did regularly.  
  
Hesitantly her hand reached out, and she opened it, to be greeted by pages of mainly her mother's handwriting. Slowly she turned a few pages but stopped abruptly when she saw her name.  
  
"I'm worried about Kalina. She's always out of the house, and my suspicions are correct. She's spending half that time, listening to that idiot -Frodo BAGGINS's tales of his Quest. I'm only letting her off with it, as it'll expand her knowledge on history and the geography of Middle Earth. But if she continues this, I'm going to have to stop her or she'll start trusting the Bagginses and end up murdered, like our ancestor Fred did."  
  
(A/n. WAAAHEY!!! Ops. Yes, Aragorn is gorgeous and he's just frightening Frodo.) Kalina frowned and flicked through the next few pages.  
  
"The whole of Middle Earth can rest, that Frodo and Bilbo have left for the undying lands. And we all know that not many return from there. The deepening sadness about it, is most of the elves have left these shores never to be seen again. However, at least Kalina will be alright now she doesn't need to listen to Frodo's accounts. I swear she treats him like a hero. Anyone could have chucked a ring in a mountain. So at least we can all breathe in relief, as she isn't going to start trusting a Baggins and then get killed. But she did seem kind of upset today. Her goldfish -Goldilocks had died -RIP."  
  
Kalina had bristled at the "anyone could chuck a ring in a mountain" comment but had sighed in relief that her mother had thought she was upset as Goldilocks had died. Maybe she shouldn't have spent so much time at Frodo's or talking about his adventures.  
  
(A/n. NOOO! FRODO GOT STABBED! ( Must kill Black Rider #? -what an idiot. Stabbing MY Frodo, woah, he is so dead when I find him.;) Oh damn, he's screaming, must contain anger and tears in eyes.oh thank God for Aragorn.oh poor Frodo! Where was I when he was in this much pain?)  
  
Sighing, she flicked through a few more pages and came to a more recent entry and her heart stopped.  
  
"Hugo Gardener obviously admires Kalina. If only she would see sense and walk out with him! They'd make the perfect couple, a perfect marriage! Well, I'll have to get Kalina to come to her senses. I'm sure she'll thank me later, when she realises what a charming lad he is. And she will."  
  
Kalina slammed the diary shut and put it back on the table. Inwardly fuming, she left her hole and remembering Hugo, set off in the opposite direction from which she usually went to in the morning. This time she was heading towards a small lake that the river flowed into, about fifteen minutes away from Hobbiton.  
  
(A/n. ops. 40 minutes reading.and oh NO -Frodo's been stabbed * again *!)  
  
Kalina had been ever wary since she stepped out her door, just in case Hugo was following her. She shuddered at the thought.  
  
(A/n. Frodo screaming. Gandalf gone. Frodo crying.()  
  
As she was looking in the lake's depth her eyes caught a slight movement under the water. Curious, she leaned closer and gasped. She could clearly make the moving shape out as a kitten, struggling desperately to reach the surface so it wouldn't drown. It was obvious someone had tied the kitten with a piece of rope and attached a stone to the end of it, so the kitten would drown and not live. Shocked, Kalina plunged her hands into the lake, trying desperately to find the piece of rope that the kitten was attached to. She could feel it's body flailing, trying to get oxygen, each minute its struggles were becoming feebler. She finally grasped a length of rope, and instantly pulled. The stone at the bottom wasn't heavy, only heavy enough to keep the kitten from reaching the surface. Swiftly, the stone was on the bank beside her, and Kalina's hand went straight back in and gently hauled the kitten out. Carefully, she cradled it in her arms, as it took a few rasping breaths. It was black, fully midnight black except for its white chest and white paws, and as it opened her eyes they were a deep green. Its black fur was dripping water and it was shuddering with cold.  
  
Delicately Kalina took of her coat, and carefully wrapped the kitten in it, to keep her warm and quickly made her way back home to sort the kitten out. She'd already made up her mind she was keeping her, and she was fuming at what sort of hobbit would do that to an innocent kitten.  
  
"It's alright," she whispered soothingly to her. "I'm keeping you."  
  
Standing silent,  
  
Her eyes tear-filled,  
  
She wondered what her life would forehold.  
  
Forced to marry?  
  
Forced to parry?  
  
Or would she have to live to be told?  
  
She knew one thing for sure,  
  
She wasn't going to give in,  
  
She wasn't going to give in. Ever. Never give in.  
  
  
  
The ink still glistened on the paper, as Kalina slowly glanced at the words she'd written, the light of the candle flickering. She looked through a small gap in her curtains, and her eyes flew upon the shining stars and bright moon. She could feel it in her heart; something was going to happen.  
  
A/n -to fool of a took! Thanks for making me laugh! Hairball.hehe! Wow. And such a rubbish poem. Well.review?! Heh. Yes, someone's entering next chapter. Give ya three guesses who LOL! If you get that wrong.( Yeah, that poem thingy was gonna be the next chapter, but I really wanna enter Frodo so I merged them together! 


	10. Petrified

Petrified.  
  
A/n. OMG! Have you seen the two towers trailer?! It's the BEST freaking trailer EVER! Go to www.lordoftherings.net and you'll find it there!  
  
She was sitting, sitting on the hill overlooking Hobbiton, sighing happily as her eyes surveyed the holes and gardens and general beautiful scenery Hobbiton possessed. Shadow, the kitten she'd rescued was prancing about merrily over the soft grass, but never straying far from Kalina.  
  
Kalina laughed softly, as Shadow energetically tried to catch a butterfly by playfully running over the grass, giving in and then trying to catch her tail.  
  
She couldn't believe someone had tried to kill such a sweet kitten. Especially by tying her to a stone and leaving her to drown. She shuddered. The past week had gone by swiftly and she'd barely seen Hugo, which was a great relief. She'd confided in Hilary, about Hugo, and after she'd stopped Hilary marching out the door to go and scream at Hugo, she'd been brilliant, staying close to Kalina when Rosa couldn't and stopping their mother arrange anything.  
  
Where Kalina was at now, was a completely different direction that she ever went in the mornings, and she was sure Hugo wouldn't find her here.  
  
Shadow had stopped trying to chase her tail and was busy again, attempting to catch another butterfly. As she was so busy looking intensely at the butterfly, she didn't look to see where her paws were going and she tripped over on a stone. Standing shakily up, Shadow shook her head and realised the butterfly had flown away. A slight hiss erupted from her mouth, and she returned to Kalina's side, and started purring contentedly as Kalina stroked her.  
  
Rosa had been telling her that a sister of Pippin's was coming to live in Hobbiton, with the Tooks', and that she had a baby and a girl hobbit their age. According to Rosa, she and her were good friends and that Rowan (her name) was totally mischievous, as Tooks' were. Quite possible, the result of putting a Brandybuck, a Took AND a Burrows, wasn't exactly going to be brilliant for Hobbiton! Especially if Rosa and Rowan turned out to be anything like Merry and Pippin! Well, the younger Merry & Pippin, as they'd matured since the Quest. If the three combined together, it would probably have caused havoc if they'd been younger, she and Rosa had caused more than enough trouble for 'the evils' with their gang!  
  
She giggled as Shadow started prancing around her and then hid behind a small rock, and emerged with a daisy dangling from her mouth. She instantly dropped it though, when she saw another butterfly, opening its wings on a fallen leaf. Approaching it stealthily, Shadow suddenly sneezed and the butterfly instantly flew up into the air.  
  
"You stupid kitten!" Kalina scolded playfully, as Shadow leapt back to a sitting position beside Kalina, purring and then jumped off out of sight, probably chasing another butterfly.  
  
"Mad kitten," she muttered to herself. She thought she heard leaves crunching together, but she ignored it, thinking of how beautiful the sky looked over Hobbiton, purple and pink. She got jerked out her thought after five minutes, as she realised Shadow hadn't come back. Glancing quickly around the Shadow-free area, she started to get to her feet when she saw someone she didn't want to see.  
  
"Good morning," Kalina said politely. "You wouldn't have happened to have seen a kitten-"  
  
"Morning Kalina," Hugo replied, coming out of the shadows, holding a familiar shape in his hands roughly. "So this kitten belongs to you?"  
  
Kalina nodded uncertainly.  
  
"It was born into our family, except it's a runt, so we tried to drown it.it seems it's still alive," he said evilly.  
  
"She's mine now, as you did not want her," she answered. "So put her down."  
  
To her relief, Hugo put Shadow down, who instantly leapt to Kalina, and hid behind her.  
  
As Hugo made no attempt to move or say anything, Kalina scooped Shadow into her arms, and made as to go past him. As soon as she started moving though, Hugo blocked her way, that evil sneer on his face.  
  
"What do you want?" Kalina asked, backing off slightly, sensing she shouldn't be here.  
  
"What do I want?" he repeated leisurely. "Quite simply, I want you."  
  
"Hugo, what you want is a two-way thing.It doesn't matter how strongly you feel towards me, I won't return any feelings to you and nor will I walk out with you," Kalina explained, her voice calm.  
  
To her surprise, Hugo loosed his grip on her arm, and tears welled in his black eyes. "No one ever returns them. No one ever does. Not even my family love me, they don't care what I do, and now, you're going to get added to my list."  
  
"You're lying, your family do care and you have loads of admirers," Kalina said bluntly, just wanting to get away from him.  
  
"And you're one."  
  
"No, Hugo, I'm not," she said firmly. "I've got to go home now, have a good day," she struggled to free her arm.  
  
Instead of letting her go, Hugo's grip tightened, and he said, "I'm sorry I have to do this, lover." Panic was surging through Kalina, like before, only much, much stronger. She struggled again to free herself, but she couldn't.  
  
"I like feisty females," Hugo commented dangerously, before using all his strength and throwing her straight into a tree, and then appearing in front of her.  
  
"You look so, delightful when you're frightened," he grinned evilly, pinning her to the tree.  
  
"Let me go!" Kalina shrieked, trying desperately to get him off her, trying to hurt him, but his grip on her was too strong.  
  
"I can't let you go," he said sadly, "You're in my heart."  
  
Kalina's heart was beating so fast she thought she might explode, and panic was surging through her body, but whenever she spoke her voice was calm and only slightly shaky. "If you truly loved me, you wouldn't be doing this."  
  
"If you truly loved me, you'd be doing this," he reversed the words.  
  
"I DON'T LOVE YOU!" she screamed. "I NEVER HAVE, AND I NEVER WILL!"  
  
She shuddered violently as he ran a finger down her cheek, pressing his body closer to hers.  
  
"Please don't," she pleaded tearfully, attempting to push Hugo off her. "Please Hugo."  
  
"There's nothing to be scared of."  
  
"GET OFF ME!" Kalina yelled, tears still trickling down her cheeks in fear. "I don't even love you! You don't even love me and LET ME GO!" Her screaming had loosed his grip on her, but all she could do was make me wince in pain as she repeatedly kicked his feet.  
  
"Let her go!" a voice ran over the hill, and then Kalina was sure she heard a sword being drawn, except not one hobbit carried a sword in the Shire, save Merry & Pippin. The voice sounded familiar but it definitely wasn't them, she couldn't see as both Hugo and the tree were in the way.  
  
"You heard me, let me go and go yourself," the voice challenged, sounding closer.  
  
Hugo looked at the face of the attacker and the weapon, Kalina could see a glint of it off the sun, gave a longing look at Kalina, and disappeared so swiftly he could have been flying.  
  
Kalina sank against the tree, huddling herself together, tears still trickling down her face, feeling too weak with relief to move, trembling.  
  
"Kalina? Are you alright?"  
  
Lifting her head up from her knees, she took one look at her saviour and just whispered, "Frodo."  
  
A/n. I am an evil writer! Anyway.to the anonymous reviewer, uh, sorry, but maybe Hugo is evil. And I hope this chapter wasn't.too.disturbing.lol. Sorry if it was. Annnddd, I have two lil questions to ask you'se! Can anyone think of a MUCH better name from Shadow? Because Shadow's kinda plain.and I am brain-dead and you guys definitely aren't, so any ideas? And number 2.Ok; I write my stories in Microsoft word, and I think I've finally managed how to get the paragraphing that I get in word, onto ff.net, but can anyone tell me how to get italics and bold and underlining from word onto ff.net?! Anyway, reviews would be welcome! 


	11. Where it began

****

How it started.

A/n: sorry guys, I have had no inspiration to write anything for ages. However, I was just scanning the pages of my geography jotter, when I found a paragraph of a story I was trying to write in 55 mins for a LOTR writing competition – but I never finished it. So I've decided to use this as a little interlude 'cause I can't write the next chapter. Anyway, this is in first person, in Kalina's pov. 

So much had changed. The happy, joyful area that I lived by had changed drastically. From a pretty, joyful Hobbiton always full of bustling around, chatting happily. Now, 'the Chief' as we were forced to call him, inhabited Bag End, the trees had been chopped and cut, large ugly buildings had replaced our homes. Barely anyone left their holes, in fear of being accused or arrested and thrown into the tiny compacted prison. 

I don't really know how I could describe living in Hobbiton when it was like that. I spent a long time in my room, staring out the window, crying over what had once been beautiful. I hated 'the chief', I hated Sharkey, I hated the ruffians and I hated the hobbits that were Shiriffs. I hated the stone buildings, I hated the lack of trees, plants and greenery. It just all happened so suddenly, before I could never even imagine that happening here. All too fake, and then it became real. 

The worst blow, was apart from staying in my hole all the time, apart from the ugliness and the way anyone could be arrested for doing nothing, was that Rosa's grandmother got thrown into Lockhole, the prison. It was such a tiny, packed building and all the prisoners got treated so badly, they even got beaten. Anything to keep them silent, break down their determination and their own voices, beat the rebellious thoughts that rushed through all our heads. Barely anyone ever voiced these thoughts to anyone except in their own holes, afraid it would be them carted off to Lockhole next. 

I'd never got to see Rosa often since anyone could get arrested for just being outside, but if I ever could, she'd always be happy as usual, trying to raise everyone's spirits. Her entire family thought Merry had died, and by being her happy bustling joyful self, she'd helped relieve the grief, but she'd never managed to let her grief out. She'd cried herself to sleep; desperately missing him, never believing he'd died. Merry – dead? Never. Always in her heart was that strand of hope, that told her plainly he was alive, but the tension in her family had been so tense and emotional, sometimes she just cried because of that, desperately wishing that Merry could tell them he was alive or something. 

But when her grandmother got thrown in Lockhole, Rosa just gave up. She, like me, spent half her time locked in her room, either crying or thinking or sometimes remembering what everything had been like. 

The atmosphere in her house, was like that of many other holes. 

One hobbit who always seemed to be happy and only to happy to rush to other hobbit holes' when the ruffians were away was Asphodel Gardener from Needlehole.

. She was desperate to try and relieve everyone's depression so she'd stop by when she could and just constantly talk. She was pretty close to me, and she'd always stop by. Even in her happy talkative 'everything's going to be fine' mood, she just managed to raise hobbit's spirits. She wasn't always like that though, she was very emotional and the energy she always seemed to possess was all an act to try and cheer people up. Unluckily, she wasn't able to come by often due to the shiriffs and ruffians. The one time she had gone out with them within sight, they'd punched her and she always waited until they'd left sight before she went out again. 

There were a few other hobbits like this and they were always welcome in any household. The hobbits like this always made them believe in hope again. 

When news that Pippin, Merry, Sam and Frodo had returned reached everyone's ears, there was a great raise in people's spirits, especially the Brandybucks. Rosa had ran out screaming that Merry was alive, but had hastily dived in the Cotton's hole when the shiriffs heard her. 

Asphodel had been arrested for diving into other hobbit holes to spread the news and the shiriffs had caught her as she was leaving the Hobs. She was partially arrested for that, but she'd been commenting rudely on something about 'the Chief' loudly. 

When Merry had blown the Horn of Buckland, many hobbits had left their holes to join the 'army'. They'd simply had enough and wanted the Shire to go back to what it had been. And then Pippin had gathered all the Tooks and I'd watched from my window until they were out my sight. I'd followed them, a distance behind and watched as they'd killed the leader of the ruffians – in self defence, he'd cried out for the rest of the ruffians to attack the hobbits. The rest of the ruffians had given themselves in after he'd been killed. 

They'd been another gang of ruffians after a while, and I'd watched as a battle broke out, killing nineteen hobbits, killing around seventy of the ruffians. I'd hated it, hated seeing them with their weapons, hated seeing the bleeding wounds, hated seeing the bodies fall the to the ground, lifeless. 

I'd watched as Frodo talked to Sharkey. I saw Sharkey stab a dagger into Frodo and I saw that dagger shatter. I heard Frodo yell for the hobbits not to kill Sharkey. Watched as Sharkey called for Worm and set off. My heart had been in my throat when Frodo had called after Worm, to tell him he didn't need to follow Sharkey. Watched as Sharkey taunted Worm, as Worm stabbed Sharkey, killed him and then died himself as the hobbits loosed arrows at him before Frodo could speak. I saw the grey mist surround Sharkey's body, watched it rise up in a grey cloud and dissolve into nothing. 

That's when I lost my heart to Frodo. He was so brace, so just. That's when I realised that even though my family were meant to curse the sound of his name, that it was just wrong. It was plain unfair to judge someone on their ancestors. 

Everything had grown better since then. 

They'd first released all the prisoners from Lockhole. Lobeila, for her rebellion against the ruffians, had received a massive cheer from the crowds as she left the desolate building. Asphodel had been last out, she'd been helping all the other prisoners out, some were half starved, others too weak to walk, others had beatings all over them. She hadn't suffered much for her day in the prison. 

Frodo was made deputy mayor, as Will Whitfoot had been in Lockhole longer than others and he was far too weak to rule. 

The every single hobbit had removed every building that Sharkey's men had built, and used the material from that to repair ruined hobbit holes. Massive stores of food were found and shared out, Bag End was cleared out and Bagshot Row was returned. Sam had used his gift from Galadriel to restore all the greenery and that spring was one the best ever. That year, 1420 was great, wonderful sunny weather, refreshing rain, a beauty in the air and the Shire that no one could describe and a harvest so rich and plentiful that every barn was full. 

I don't think back then I realised just how much I loved Frodo. It's not an obsession that my life revolves around, it's just a deep feeling in my heart for him, such a desire to hold him running through my veins. The way my heart skips a beat when his crystal blue eyes glanced into my eyes, the way his dark curls ruffled in the wind, the soft sound of his voice made me tremble. I don't think he ever knew how I felt about him before he left for the Undying Lands. That's when my heart realised just how much I loved him, for the first few weeks I'd pined for him and nothing could cheer me up. Rosa and the Brandybucks were ectastic that Merry was back, as was the Tooks (and Asphodel) over Pippin, the Gamgee's & Rosie were delighted over Sam's reappearance and everyone was overjoyed with Frodo being back. 

Both Asphodel and Rosa had tried their hardest to cheer me up, and they both helped with their own experiences. With Rosa missing Merry and Asphodel had revealed to me that she secretly loved Pippin. (That was partially why there was such a big grin on her face when Pippin had helped her out after she was sure everyone had been taken out.) 

No matter how many times my parents had hinted about my marriage, no matter how many hobbit lads out there desperately wanted to walk out with me, I could never do that. My heart was with Frodo, very much like Asphodel's was with Pippin. And my heart will forever be with Frodo, no matter what, no matter if I'm meant to curse the sight of him. 

The stupid feud isn't ever going to dampen my heart because he obliviously made me believe in hope again. I'm just going to follow my heart and pray that it's path leads me to Frodo.

A/n…New chappy coming tonight guys! I'm so glad 'cause I haven't updated since ***September!!!!!!*** But anyhow, review…? Please…? J (PLEASE let the formatting work this time!)(ok…work _this _time…) 


	12. Back Home

Back Home.  
16/03/03 - wow, I started it?! Oh yay! I think my writer's block is gone people! Just a pity it has to disappear at ten at night, when I'm suffering from a freaking cold and when I haven't slept enough for at least a week! Oh, and it's school tomorrow! * shrug* That's inspiration for you!  
  
"Are you alright?" he repeated, Kalina's heart still thudding heavily in her chest.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine, thank you," her green eyes gazed at the lush ground. He was talking to her. "I'd better go now," she stood up, blushing furiously and had already walked a few steps before she realised something.  
  
"I'm not that frightening am I?" he called, already walking after her. Kalina laughed, "No!"  
  
"You looked really startled," his voice faded as he said something she couldn't hear. "As though I'm some form of a ghost."  
  
"Not many people who disappear into the Grey Havens ever return," she answered, her heart still racing. "Everyone thought you'd gone forever."  
  
"Your family must have loved that," a grimmer tone came into his voice.  
  
Kalina blushed again, casting her eyes downward again. "They did."  
  
"You're wondering why I returned, aren't you?" Frodo asked.  
  
"How did you know?" her eyes widened, it had been exactly what she was thinking.  
  
"You never used to be quiet!" he smiled. "Then again I've been absent for a long time." he sighed.  
  
"In answer to your question, only slightly," Kalina grinned. "People say it's perfect bliss over there - that everything's beautiful and plentiful and that it's impossible to get ill over there and that it's so wonderful that-"  
  
"Some things never change!" Frodo laughed, and Kalina slapped her hand over her mouth. "The Grey Havens are all that, maybe more. There's everything you ever wished for - some form of heaven. Supplies of food are plentiful, as well as pipe weed that kept both Gandalf & Bilbo very happy. The countryside over there is nothing but beautiful.but it lacked one thing. It couldn't rid someone of their love for a place and even there, I longed for the Shire. All the rivers and sloping fields and the friendliness of the inhabitants. And maybe I returned because there was someone." his voiced faded and he showed no intention of continuing.  
  
"Yes.?"  
  
Frodo shook his head. "She's someone I'll never have. It's probably better that way." His face was completely serious, a hint of sadness in his deep blue eyes. Shaking his head slightly again, he put on a forced smile to cover his dismay. "So where are you going this fine morning?"  
  
'Anyway from Hugo.as far away as I possibly can,' crossed her mind, and she started shaking again, remembering how his body was so close to hers, how his breath had touched her neck. "I'm going to the Brandybucks," she informed him, trying to shake off the images in her head. Maybe she would have gone home, if it wasn't for him - she didn't want Frodo to face her family's spitefulness if he'd just returned.  
  
"I never thought a Brandybuck raised this early," Frodo raised an eyebrow curiously.  
  
Kalina laughed. "Not many do, but Rosa will have." Her eyes fell to the ground again, as a silence grew between them. All that had happened in the past few minutes flooded her memory. Hugo.his warm breath on her neck, the strong grip on her wrist, the strength of his force when he'd thrown her into that tree, the way he'd smiled triumphantly when he pined her against the tree, the way 'feisty females' and 'lover' had slipped from his lips. The look on his face, that look of such a dangerous desire, the way he'd hissed like a snake.  
  
"Kali?" Frodo spoke suddenly, startling Kalina from her thoughts and the use of her nickname on his lips making her breath catch in her throat. "Who was that hobbit?"  
  
"Hugo," Kalina grimaced slightly, opening her lips to expand on him - how her parents wanted her to marry him when barely no one would believe her if she told them his true nature.  
  
I~"You look so, delightful when you're frightened"~/I  
  
The way those words had hissed from his moist lips, the panic that had surged so strongly through her veins, the rate her heart had thundered, the way her brain had screamed so much to get her away from him.and she was helpless, she couldn't have escaped if it hadn't have been for Frodo.how Hugo had pressed his body so close against hers, the way his finger had trailed down her cheek, how his lips were so close to hers.  
  
Something wet ran down her cheek and Kalina suddenly realised she was crying uncontrollably and she was shaking violently. IWhat would have happened if Frodo hadn't appeared?/I She covered her face with her hands as her crying shook her body even more.  
  
She didn't know what she was expecting Frodo to do, she was so caught on imagining what Hugo could have done, and when Frodo slipped her arms around her, she gratefully buried her face against him, while he tried to soothe her.  
  
When she'd eventually stopped crying, her heart started flying when she consciously realised Frodo was hugging her.  
  
"Thank you," she whispered softly, "for saving me from him." her voice trailed off uncertainly.  
  
Frodo shrugged. "Anytime," he smiled, releasing her from his arms, fighting the feeling that was running throughout him.  
  
Someday, he reminded himself; someday she'd know.  
A/n. Okay, it's a little bit too short.but I couldn't think of any other way to end it.Anyway, a little update on me (I'm bored stiff!) I've got a new computer which has kinda put me off writing.or maybe it's just my family are always looking over my shoulder or are in the room which makes it harder for me to write.  
  
hehe, no one will ever guess this.I'm obsessed with Billy Boyd now (Pippin)! I guess I still am less obsessed with Elwood, it's just he never really made me laugh and hell, Billy sure does! He's so great! * sigh* He just had to be 20 years older than me!  
  
~Pip, I'm just off to download AIM to this computer, so talk to you then, yeah? I haven't talked to you for ages! :'( 


End file.
